The Volo Community: Bell county, Texas

                             THE OLD VOLO COMMUNITY, BELL COUNTY, TEXAS


Many times we must piece history together as if working with a puzzle; hopefully, we can assemble enough of the total picture to gain a bare glimpse of what might have been.  At best, our attempts are incomplete and inaccurate, depending on the accuracy of our sources.  This is the way I've found it to be regarding trying to re-construct the old Volo community.

Volo Community Map: Drawn by Woodson Bruner ("Woody"), Fort Worth, Texas

Note from The Handbook of Texas online:
"Parkdale, Texas:  Parkdale was on Runnells Creek eleven miles southeast of Belton in southeastern Bell county.  a country store community called Volo was founded in the late 1860s and had a post office from 1870 to 1882.  A new post office with the name of Parkdale was opened on the site in 1890; the community had 100 inhabitants, a general store, a gin, and a drugstore in 1892.  The post office closed in 1895, and mail was directed to Holland thereafter.  The Volo school had forty-seven pupils and one teacher in 1903, and the Volo cemetery still appeared on state highway maps in 1988."     Mark Odintz
(Source: George Tyler, History of Bell County.  San Antonio: Naylor, 1936).

Many families settled in the Little river bottom at the old Volo community between the 1850s and 1870s.  The community store was run by the R.B. Latham family for many years; their homeplace was located behind the store.  R.B. Latham's parents ran it before him; the store is now closed.  The railroad man also had his headquarters inside the store.  About two miles east of this general store, close to Runnels creek, was the Hilry Swan ("Hill") homeplace of 450 acres.

The Hilry Swan homeplace at Volo.

  1    3  4  5  6
      2                                1.  Texanna (Caldwell) Swan
                                        2.  Gertrude Swan ("Ted") ?
                                        3.  Lee Swan?
                                        4.  Elihugh Swan?
                                        5.  Will Swan
                                        6.  Hilry Swan ("Hill")

The Swan family witnessed, on occasions, the severe flooding of the Little river.  The water would come up almost to their home - they would be trapped between the flooding waters of both Runnels creek and the Little river.  In later years, when the children had invested in livestock, the cows would be washed away before they could get them out.  There was also the problem of repairing the fences torn down by the flood.  Three dates that we know the Little river overflowed were: May 21, 1884, April 23, 1885, and April 21, 1890 (We know this from it being recorded in Hill Swan's record book). 

Just southeast of the Hill Swan homeplace, which collapsed in the mid 1990s, was the old swimming hole.  It is located immediately south of a sandbar on Runnels creek.  Many times the Swan family would host parties at their place and invite the whole community plus all their relatives.  Hill would catch some fish and they would have fish fries on that sandbar.  Most people in the community were farmers; the main items for sell were cotton, wheat, corn, potatoes, oats, steer, hogs, and even several types of watermelons including such names as: Girdans Triumph, Black Diamond, Duke Jones, Halbert Honey, Branches Rattlesnake, and the two favorites: Mammoth Triumph and Alabama Sweet.

Baptism service at the Little river at the Volo community.

The above picture is of a baptism service at the Little river about a half mile north of the Hilry Swan homeplace at Volo.  Relatives say that Hilry Swan, Robert Thomas Blair, and Pearl Blair were all baptized on this day.  Note the pastor (with raised arm and Bible in hand), the church choir, the horses and buggies on the hill, and the baptism candidates down by the river.  (Note: One source says the baptism service was held at Burgess Crossing).

The Poncik family was the first Czech family in the community.  They had several children who later went to Rogers, Texas.  Mrs. Poncik couldn't speak a word of English.  The J.L. Wallace family lived at old Volo; one of the daughters was Miriam A. Wallace, who later married Jim Ferguson ("Pa").  Miriam became ("Ma") Ferguson and they both served as governors of Texas.  After their marriage, they lived in Temple, Texas, where Jim Ferguson was a banker.  Mr. Ferguson later bought much of the land at Volo, including the Greeson's land (who had a large family), the land of Robert Thomas Blair, and some of the Caldwell land. 

R.T. & Sallie (Whatley) Blair with their children at home at Volo.

The James Young Caldwell homeplace at the Volo community.

  1   2   3                   1.  James Young Caldwell (Young James)
                                 2.  Mattie (Bowers) Caldwell ("Matt")
                                 3.  ?

The James Young Caldwell homeplace is located southeast of the Hill Swan homeplace.  The home has  been restored.  After being James Caldwell's home, this house became the M. Walt Hagler home; the building to the left had been joined to the main house about 1930 when the Haglers bought it and moved in.

The Hagler homeplace at the Volo community.

       4                               1.  Irma Dean Hagler
    2     5                           2.  Daisy (Swan) Hagler
  1    3                              3.  Violet Hagler
                                        4.  W.E. Hagler
                                        5.  Elmina Hagler

The Beyers family, who were German, lived at Volo.  The Beyers brothers and a sister lived at the homeplace; they attended church somewhere other than Volo.  The Theodore Armstrong homeplace was located by a live oak grove.  He had two sons and one daughter.  He was accused of killing sheriff John T. Olive on September 11, 1892 (Note: You can read about this incident in the "Notes" section at the end of this post).  Jim Ferguson served as a character witness for Mr. Armstrong.  Walt Hagler's father had a home on a hill which overlooked Runnels creek.  Walt lived on the south side of the road.  Will Hagler, Walt's brother, married Hilry Swan's daughter, Daisy.  A.D. Swan was a cousin to the Hill Swan group.  He married the daughter of Mr. Thompson who ran the hotel in Holland, Texas.  A.D. Swan and his wife later went to west Texas. 

There was a house by the Sparks gin for the ginner in the early 1900s.  Clant McQueen and his wife, Fannie (Caldwell) McQueen, were the ginners.  Fannie (Caldwell) McQueen was Texanna (Caldwell) Swan's neice.  Later, the Umberhagen family owned the Sparks gin.

The Volo school was built on the Hill Swan farm near old Volo cemetery near Runnels creek about two miles east of the Sparks store.  The exact date of the beginning of the school is not known.  Alice Marshall, in a letter to Billy Blair in May, 1984, said that the old Volo schoolhouse was "used for a time as a shed or barn by your grandfather." (Note: My grandfather was Herbert Orlando Blair, so I'm sure she meant my great grandfather, Robert Thomas Blair).  Another source said that the old Volo schoolhouse was located closer to the Blairs than to the Swans.  It was a two-room schoolhouse which was later purchased by R.T. Blair.  He moved it; he added one of the rooms to his home and used the other for a storage building.  Fanny Swan said that when they moved the schoolhouse, it was a schoolhouse, church house, and everything else.  Yet another source said that the old Volo schoolhouse was on the same location where the Baptist church later built.  (This person thought that they took the old church and the old schoolhouse and combined them, then remodeled it).  The trustees in 1885 were: J.L. Wallace, W.C. Sparks, and Wiley Carter.

Volo community school group in 1905.

9.  Winnie Nunnallee
10. Earl Blair
11. Ruby Blair
18. Will Swan
22. Ellen Burk?
23. __________ Dolehide?
24. Pearl Blair
28. Herbert Orlando Blair
29.Edgar Nunnallee
30. Tom Dolehide
34. Gary Baird Blair?
37. May Phillips
38. Winnie Dolehide
40. Luda Matlock (Teacher)
41. Corow Holzcraft (Teacher?)
42. Edwin Everett Blair
43. Walter "Bolic"

The survey for the land for the school is recorded on page 229 of Hilry Swan's record book:

"Aug the 2 1892 Deed made to
School House tract of land by
Hill Swan & wife Beginning 50 yds
from the NW Cor of School House
at Rock for Cor at the South W
cor of Hill Swans pasture in west
line of Hill Swans tract being the
west line of tract No 2 in the sub-
division of the land in the estate
of Mrs. Caldwell deceased from
which a post oak marked X Brs South
east 14 yds Thence south 19 1/2 west
with said line 66 yds to Rock for cor
from which a live oak marked X brs
N 19 1/2 east 9 yds Thence in a easterly
Direction 50 yds to Rock for cor
from which live oak marked X
Brs east 4 yds Thence N 19 1/2 east
64 yds to Rock for cor from
which an elm marked X Bares
east 13 yds Thence in a westerly
direction 50 yds. to place of
    Beginning."

Volo Community school, for which Hill Swan gave the land.

Volo was a two teacher school until Sparks was built, and then both Volo and Sparks were one teacher schools.  Some of the teachers at Volo were:
Thomas George, Frank Lair, Esther Small, Luda Matlock, Mattie Jacobs, Ida Ellington, Mildred Grimes, Joe Stephen, Kate Blair, Lois Oliver, Olive Barnett, Jesse McDaniel, Maggie Lowery, Miss M. Townsend, Hattie Woodward, Mildred Guynes and J.W. McDaniel.  A.D. Swan and R.T. Blair were trustees in 1906.  Other trustees were Hill Swan, Mr. Foreman, Mr. Caldwell, G.O. Boley,Thea Armstrong and some who served between 1907 and 1933.

Girl's Basketball Team in Sparks, Texas (Bell County)

  1   2   3   4
 5  6     7   8
9  10   11    12  13

Identification for the players in the above picture include:
1.  Jewell Blair
2.  Pearl Swan
6.  Gertrude Swan
7.  Ruby Blair

In 1906, Sparks school was built near the Sparks store on the highway.  At this time there were several buildings, including a store, church, gin, depot, and a blacksmith shop at Sparks.  The school building was a one room structure; the first teachers were Seth McKay, Jesse McDaniel and Emma Jones.

Near the Volo school and Runnels creek in 1908, Bell county, Texas

  1  2  3  4                1.  Lee Swan                                5.  Pearl Blair
  5  6  7  8                2.  ?                                              6.  Mr. McDaniel (Teacher)
                                3.  Tom Dolehide                          7.  Winnie Dolehide
                                4.  Daisy Middlebrooks                 8.  Earl Blair

In 1911 Volo and Sparks consolidated.  A new, larger building was constructed at a new location where the Sparks church now stands, about one half mile east of Sparks.  The building was a three room wooden structure.  Some of the teachers at Sparks were Seth McKay, Jessie McDaniel, Emma Jones, Florence Gordon, N.T. Beaumier, Stina Shannon, Mattie Halsey, Ruth Boyer, Gertie Nunnallee, Bryce Caskey, Ara Gilstrap, Edna Mae Cawthorn, Martha Utsey, Louise Barnard, Nathalie Moon, E.B. Echols, Mrs. L.R. Morris, Pearl Blair, Minnie Riddlehoover, Opal Hagler, Mrs. Tennie Harrell, Theopal Harrell, Stella Archer, Gertrude Swan, Arba Wohleb, Alice Swan, Winnie Wohleb, Mildred Edds, Helen Latham, and Louise Shine.

Volo community group

14. Will Swan
16. Winnie Nunnallee
27.  Earl Blair
35.  Herbert Orlando Blair
38.  Edwin Everett Blair

In 1925, Sparks, Little River, and Academy voted to consolidate, becoming the first large consolidated rural school in Texas also providing bus service from a large area.  From 1925 until 1940 just the high school students went to Central High School located at the Academy.  The grammar school building was torn down and one large building erected for all grammar school children.  In a few years, Sparks was one of the largest rural schools in Bell county, having an attendance of 100 and over at times.  One reason for so many students was because James E. Ferguson and Ma Ferguson owned several hundred acres of land in this area, and on this land they had a large dairy, a hog ranch and many tenant farmers.  This brought many farmers into the district.

Many things could be said about this area in terms of events or marriages between neighbor's children, but the best way to get a "feel" for the community itself perhaps would be in reading some of the entries from Hilry Swan's record book, which is contained in two posts in this blog.



SOURCES:
1.  Conversations between Billy Blair and Alva Mae (Swan) Hooker.
2.  Article in The Story of Bell County regarding the Volo and Sparks school.
3.  The Handbook of Texas online (article on "Parkdale, Texas").
4.  Woodson Bruner ("Woody") - drawing of the Volo Community map from information supplied by Alva Mae (Swan) Hooker and Billy Blair.
5.  Letter from Alice Marshall to Billy Blair in May, 1984.

NOTES:
1.  The Murder of Sheriff John T. Olive article by Jim Dillard (Prepared for the Williamson County Historical Museum): "A single shotgun blast ripped through the side of Williamson County Sheriff John T. Olive as he stood on a Bell County railroad platform in September 1892.  Twenty-seven hours later, the popular lawman would become the only elected Williamson County sheriff to be killed in the line of duty.  Since taking office in 1884, the former Taylor city marshall had developed a statewide reputation as a tough, yet fair, lawman.  Often accompanied by U.S. Marshall John Rankin of the 27th District Court, Olive roamed the Southwest and Indian Territory tracking down outlaws.  In 1888 he was called upon by President Grover Cleveland to go to Mexico and arrest the notorious gunslinger George Gladden.  Now barely clinging to life, Sheriff Olive was placed on a northbound train and taken to Temple, where a team of doctors determined that his wounds were fatal.  Accompanied by his friend Marshal Rankin, the 41-year old sheriff was then placed on a southbound train and taken to Taylor, where he died at the Taylor Hotel.  He was buried after a full Masonic ceremony held at Taylor's First Christian Church, which was packed to overflowing.  A three-mile funeral procession, led by a marching band and the Taylor fire department accompanied the sheriff's body to Taylor's City Cemetery.  Businesses in Taylor and Georgetown closed for the afternoon in honor of the fallen sheriff.  An investigation into the sheriff's murder began immediately.  Williamson County Commissioner W.S. Brookshire was sworn in as acting sheriff, and a roundup of suspects began with the help of City Marshal Charley Brady and Deputy Sheriff H.C. Purl, father of Georgetown educator Annie Purl.  High on the list were Theodore and Noah Armstrong, prominent Bell County citizens, because in 1880, then Deputy Sheriff John Olive had arrested two of their brothers for livestock theft.  After their release from jail, Neally and John Armstrong were killed in a shootout with Olive during a moonlit confrontation on a dark road 13 miles southeast of Taylor.  Since revenge was a common cause for murder in 19th-century Texas, Theodore and Noah Armstrong were arrested and charged with Sheriff Olive's murder.  Noah was tried for murder in February 1893 but was acquitted.  Charges against Theodore were dropped due to a lack of evidence.  Years passed and the murder of Sheriff Olive was forgotten.  However, 23 years later a witness came forward and told Williamson County Sheriff Lee Allen that Theodore Armstrong had bragged about killing Sheriff Olive.  Theodore was once again arrested and charged with murder.  Here the story takes several twists.  Although Armstrong never admitted to the media that he killed Sheriff Olive, a story appeared in a Fort Worth newspaper reporting Armstrong's confession.  Also, the surprise witness, on whom the entire case was built, refused to testify at Armstrong's May 1915 Georgetown trial.  However, Armstrong's close friend, Texas Governor 'Pa' Ferguson, did testify on his behalf, and after a 15-minute recess Armstrong was found not guilty.  He then sued the Fort Worth newspaper for libel and received $ 1, 000 in damages.  (Log on to Williamson County Historical Museum's website at www.wchm-tx.org for more information about Sheriff John Olive)."
(Note: There is a photo of John T. Olive and his wife in the original article).

James M. Caldwell Family: Basic Information

                    THE JAMES M. & ELIZABETH E. (WOODS) CALDWELL FAMILY


    1821 - 1887                                                                                  1819 - 1887
James M. Caldwell                                                                        Elizabeth E. Woods



James Caldwell was born on September 24, 1821 (census records say 1825) in South Carolina.  He was a merchant by occupation; later, in Texas, he was a farmer.  James resided in Alabama a good portion of his life; on November 13, 1845, he married Elizabeth E.Woods.  She was born in October of 1819 in South Carolina.  They came to Texas between 1860 - 1861; on the way, they heard the news of President Lincoln's election.  James and his family lived in the old Volo community in Bell county, Texas.

James M. Caldwell land ,Volo Community
BellCounty, Texas.
(Drawn by Billy Blair on
November 25, 1982).

The Caldwell home was originally two stories tall.  The
Caldwell family probably lived in a log shack before building
their nice home (There is a log shack on the property which
could have served this purpose).  Mrs. Ferguson (Ma Ferguson, who later became Governor of Texas) bought part
of the Caldwell home.







James died on February 7, 1887 and is buried in the old Volo cemetery.  His wife Elizabeth died on September 3, 1887 and is buried alongside him.  Both of their names are on a single tombstone.




Below is Elizabeth E. (Woods) Caldwell's will as recorded in Bell county, Texas:

Bell Co. Texas Will Book
Book F, page 563

(page 563):

“The State of Texas Ѯ      In County Court Bell County – Texas

County of Bell                   Sept Term A.D. 1887

                     To the Hon. J.M. (or “W”) Rosborough County Judge

Of Bell County.

     Your petitioner respectfully represents that Mrs. Elizabeth

E. Caldwell departed this life in Bell County, Texas on

to wit: the 3^rd day of September AD 1887.  That she died

interstate, leaving in said county an estate composed of

real and personal property – said personal property of above –

the value of one thousand dollars, consisting of homes, mules, cattle, hogs and other miscellaneous property, also of certain rents now due said estate, the same being paid & to be paid in produce, to wit, in corn & cotton also said estate is owing some debts now justly due and payable.  Petitioners ______ that there is no one who has anything to manage, control or take charge of said livestock or property belonging to said estate/ or to collect on

Bell Co. Tx. Will Book
Book F., page 564

     

(page 564):

receive or receipt for any of said rents, or to settle any

indebtidness due by said estate or collect any debt coming

to or due to said estate.  That all of said personal property

is liable to loss or waste unless it is carefully taken

care of and managed/ and that it is to the interest of said

estate that a temporary administrator be immediately appointed.

Wherefore they pray that Jas. L. Wallace be appointed

Temporary administrator of said estate, and that he be granted

Letters as such, authorizing him to take possession, charge,

Control and management of all of said personnel property &

Rents; to collect and and all debts or rents due & coming to

said estate: to sell any of said personal property – accord

ing to law, that may be necessary.

Your petitioners function over that said Mrs. Elizabeth E. Caldwell left surviving her four children and the children of a deceased daughter.  That your petitioners proponet form of the five heirs to said estate.

                                                                                  J.L. Caldwell

                                                                                  J.W. Caldwell

                                                                                  J.Y. Caldwell

                                                                                   Texana Swan  Mrs. Caldwell

                                                                                       By H. Swan

To the Hon. J.M. Rosborough, County Judge, Bell Co. now comes Jas. L. Wallace and suggests to the court – these in case the court acting on above petition should appoint him temporary administrator of the estate of Elizabeth E. Caldwell that he will accept such appointment and at once qualify as such Administrator

                                                                  Jas L. Wallace

Filed Sept. 26^th, 1887

                                          W.W. Upshaw    Co. Clerk  Bell C.

Estate of

Elizabeth E. Caldwell          In County Court.  Bell County – Texas

                                                 Sept. Term 1887.

The petition of J.L. Caldwell, J.W. Caldwell, J.Y. Caldwell, and Texana Swan, nee Caldwell, by her husband H. Swan praying for the appointment of Jas L. Wallace as temporary administrator of the estate of Elizabeth E. Caldwell deceased coming on to be heard, and it appearing to the satisfaction

of the court, that said estate is within the jurisdiction of this court; and that the interest of said estate required

Bell Co. Tx. Will Book
Book F., page 565

(page 565):

the appointment of a temporary administrator and that said Jas.

L. Wallace is a suitable person to act in such capacity and is

willing so to act, and it function appearing to the court that same

Jas L. Wallace has taken the required oath, and given bond

In the sum of Two Thousand Dollars < the same being double the

estimated value of the personally – belonging to said estate/ with

approved security – for the faithful performances of his duties

as such Temporary Administrator.  It is therefore ordered by the

court that said Jas. L. Wallace is hereby appointed Temporary

Administrator of said estate, and is hereby authorized to enter

upon, collect, and take possession of all the lands, tene-

ments, goods, chattel/ rights and credit – belonging to the estate

of the said Elizabeth E. Caldwell deceased and the same Ac-

cording to law to take care of, keep from waste for those

who have a right thereto until the next time of this court to be held in area for said county for civil purposes and he is further authorized to sell and dispose of such personal and perishable property, crops, provision or produce for cash or on credit with approved security as he may deem best, as by the custom of the county have the best market value at this season of the year or which may be liable to waste, damage, deterioration or depreciation by being kept in case in his judgment the interest of said estate _______ the same necessary.  And shall make a full time & cannot so prove to this court at its next regular term, of all ___oping & his disposition of the same. Belonging to said estate that shall

come into his hands as such temporary administrator.”

James and Elizabeth (Woods) Caldwell had at least eleven children.

               THE CHILDREN OF JAMES & ELIZABETH (WOODS) CALDWELL:

Caldwell Children
Ruth is on the back left; Mary is on the middle left.
Note: I don't know where these children fit into the family

I  Young James Caldwell (The census records say James Y.) ("Young"): He was born on September 6, 1846 in Alabama.  Mattie Bowers was his wife.  He died on February 17, 1927.  Young Caldwell would always wear an overcoat to pick cotton.  When asked why, he replied, "If it will keep out the cold, it will keep out the heat!"  They possibly had the following two children:
     A.  James Scott Caldwell: He was born on October 18, 1874.
     B.  Fannie Caldwell: She was born on July 3, 1876.

The Caldwell homeplace at the Volo community

1   2   3   (left to right)

1.  James Young Caldwell
2.  Mattie (Bowers) Caldwell
3.  ?
The home in the above picture is located east of the Hill Swan homeplace at Volo.  The home later became the Walt Hagler homeplace.  The house has now been restored.

Young Caldwell receipt, 1904

Young Caldwell receipt, 1913

II. Mary Elizabeth Caldwell ("Elizabeth"): She was born on September 28, 1847 in Alabama.  She was married to (1) Mr. Reed.  They had three children:
     A.  Josy Florance Reed: Born on June 29, 1869.  Florence (Reed) McKnight lived in New Mexico.
     B.  Ida Matilda Reed: She was born on March 12, 1871.
     C.  Mary Elizabeth Reed: She was born on May 8, 1873.
Elizabeth Caldwell's second husband was (2) Leonard Nelson Marr (Note: The first and middle name might be reversed - unsure).  They had one child:
     A.  John Leonard Marr ("Leonard"): He was born on March 16, 1877.
     B.  Elizabeth Marr: She died on April 1, 1877.  She is buried in the old Volo cemetery.
(Note: Leonard and Elizabeth Marr listed above have birthdays too close together to both be siblings.  Need to resolve this problem.  One source does not list John Leonard Marr as a child of this family).
Elizabeth (Caldwell) Reed Marr died on April 1, 1877 and is buried in the old Volo cemetery. Leonard Nelson Marr remarried shortly after her death and is believed to have had two daughters.

III.  Grey Wilton Caldwell: He was born on March 5, 1849 and died on June 6, 1931.

IV. Ira W. Caldwell: He was born in 1849 in Alabama.  He married M.A. _______.  They had the following children:
     A.  Johnny Baxter Caldwell: He was born in 1878 in Sparks, Texas.  He was married and had the following children:
          1.  Bueford Edward Caldwell: He was born in 1911 in Pendleton, Texas.  He was married and had the following children:
               a.  Joe Caldwell: He married Peggy Frantis.

V.  Joseph Larance (or Lawrence) Caldwell: He was born on October 23, 1850 in Alabama. He married Georgia Ann Box.  She was born on November 19, 1860 in Arkansas and died on April 1, 1941 in Atlas in Lamar county, Texas.  Her parents were George Washington Box (1824 - 1877) and Emaline Stevens Box (1830 - 1914).  Her siblings were:
     1.  William Henry Harrison Touchstone: 1852 - 1928.  He was a half-sibling.
     2.  Augustus Angus Box: 1864 - 1904.
     3.  Arthur William Box: 1868 - 1938.
     4.  Joe Walter Box: 1870 - 1942.
Joseph Lawrence Caldwell died on the Hagler farm on October 7, 1924 in Coleman county, Texas. He is buried in Rockwood cemetery in Coleman county, Texas (Section G, Row 7).

Description of the cemetery by Steve Voss 

July 22, 2006:

"The Rockwood Cemetery is located less than 1/2 mile north of Rockwood, Coleman county, Texas on Farm to Market Road (FM) 234.  The cemetery is a very short distance to the East of US 283 (approximately 18 miles south of Santa Anna, Texas and approximately 27 miles north of Brady, Texas.  There is a "Rockwood Cemetery" marker on US 283 showing where to turn on FM 234 to get to the cemetery.  The cemetery is located a very short distance to the East from 283, and can be seen when first turning onto FM 234 (dirt/ caliche road).  The photo on the right is showing the center gate (one of the 3 gates to the cemetery).  All three gates are a short distance apart, each entering from FM 234.  The cemetery is surrounded by a chain link fence.  The US Flag (near the center of the cemetery) flies over the cemetery 24 hours a day (lit by a solar light at night).  The cemetery is well maintained , and is the cleanest and best maintained of all the many cemeteries I've visited in recent months".

Joseph Lawrence Caldwell and Georgia Ann (Box) Caldwell had the following children:

The Joseph Lawrence & Georgia (Box) Caldwell Family

Identification for the above picture is below:

          2             6                                1.  Della Caldwell

              4             8                            2.  Wittle (Widdle) Caldwell

     1       5     7         9                         3.  Lula Caldwell

          3                                               4.  Georgia (Box) Caldwell, Joseph Lawrence's wife

                                                           5.  ?

                                                           6.  Aunt Mae

                                                           7.  Bertha Caldwell?

                                                           8.  Lawrence Caldwell

                                                           9.  Bossman Caldwell

     A.  Della Minerva Caldwell: She was born on September 29, 1879 in Sparks, Bell county, Texas and died on September 24, 1899.  She is possibly buried in the old Volo cemetery in Bell county, Texas. She married a Mr. Jay.
     B.  William Franklin Caldwell ("Widdle"): He was born on January 23, 1881 in Sparks, Texas in Bell county and died on May 31, 1947 in Denison, Texas in Grayson county.  He married Eula May Whatley (1883 - 1955).  (Note: Widdle Caldwell's sister's son, Earl Caldwell, died in October 1981).
          1.  Randolph Caldwell: He was a bootlegger.
     C.  Bertha Lee Caldwell: She was born in 1885 and died in 1974.  She married a Mr. Nunnallee.
     D.  Elizabeth Emaline Caldwell: She was born in 1891 and died in 1963.  She married a Mr. Steward.
     E.  Mattie Arthur Caldwell: She was born in 1893 and died in 1969.  She married a Mr. Gibbens.
     F.  Lawrence Ray Caldwell: He was born in 1895 and died in 1978.
     G. Charlie Chloe Caldwell: She was born in 1903 and died in 1982.  She married a Mr. Epps.

VI. Adaline Francis Caldwell: She was born on March 6, 1852 and died on August 18, 1853.

VII. John Baxtor Caldwell: He was born on November 14, 1853 and died on July 28, 1855.

VIII. William Bankes Caldwell ("William"): He was born on January 12, 1856 in Alabama and died on February 11, 1883.  He is buried in the old Volo cemetery in Bell county, Texas.

VIV. Leonard Hamelton Caldwell ("Leonard"): He was born on May 28, 1858 in Alabama and died on August 7, 1869.  He is buried in the old Volo cemetery.

X.  Sylvanis Caldwell: (or Sylvanos).  He was born on December 12, 1859 in Alabama.  He died on August 8, 1861.

XI.  Texanna Caldwell: She was born on December 12, 1859 in Alabama.  She and Sylvanis were twins.  She married Hilry Swan on December 7, 1876.  She died on November 30, 1948 in Holland, Texas in Bell county.  She is buried in the old Volo cemetery. 

Pages from the James W. Caldwell & Elizabeth E. (Woods) Caldwell Family Bible:

Source: Opal (Swan) Eicholtz 

page 1

page 2

page 3

page 4

The following information was found on the inside of the back cover of the Caldwell Family Bible:
"James Scott Caldwell:  Born October 18, 1874.
Fannie Caldwell: Born July 3, 1876".

The name "Molly E. Caroline" was written upside down on the back of the front cover of the family Bible.  A note on page 441 of the Bible said that someone married on December 7, 1876.


James M. Caldwell had a brother named Joseph W. Caldwell; he was born in 1836 in South Carolina.  He was a carpenter by trade.

SOURCES:
1.  Census Records:
     a.  1860 Calhoun county, Alabama.
     b.  1870 Bell county,Texas.
2.  Caldwell family Bible. (Opal (Swan) Eicholtz was the source of these pages).
3.  Judy Womack.    altolady33@aol.com   .  The Caldwell line connection to Texanna (Caldwell) Swan.
4.  Debra Hutcherson.   s.d.hutcherson@verizon.net    .  J.M. Caldwell; Hilry Swan; Nelson Marr.  Initial contact was on May 25, 2002.  Her post on Ancestry.com on July 29, 2002 regarding the Mary Elizabeth Caldwell & Leonard Nelson Marr family is also a source for this article.
5. Peggy (Frantis) Caldwell (Ira Caldwell family).  (Note: She has photos of Ira Caldwell family).
6. "Find A Grave" website (for Joseph Lawrence Caldwell.  Memorial # 85645313).  Memorial originally created by James Durham on 2-24-12.  All kids and spouse information are "calculated" relationships.  Note: There is much more information on this site not yet transcribed to this article.
7.  Will of Elizabeth E. (Woods) Caldwell: Bell County Courthouse. Will Book F, pages 563-565.
8.  Glenn Blair research on Caldwell/ Swan families.


NOTES:
1.  Was the Widdle Caldwell who married into the Whatley family a brother to Texanna Caldwell?
2.  A note from Glenn Blair's research: "Mary Elizabeth Caldwell was Texanna Swan's sister.  She was  born on September 28, 1847.  She was first married to a Mr. Reed, and evidently had at least three children: Josy Florence Reed (born June 29, 1869); Ida Matilda Reed (born March 12, 1871); and Mary Elizabeth Reed (born May 8, 1873).  She was also the mother of John Leonard Marr (born March 16, 1877) and she died two weeks later on April 1, 1877.  The Caldwell Bible shows her death as Mary E. Reed, but her tombstone in the old Volo cemetery shows her as Mary E. Marr".

James & Nancy Digby: Basic Family Information

                  THE JAMES & NANCY (CROCKER) DIGBY (OR DEGBEE) FAMILY


   1818 - ?                                                                                           1826 - 1850
James Digby                                                                                Nancy (Crocker) Digby



James Digby was born about 1818 in Georgia.  He married Nancy Crocker (Another source said he married a girl named Nancy who was born about 1822 in South Carolina).  One source says that Nancy is supposed to be a Cherokee Indian.  Nancy was born in 1826 in Winston county, Mississippi.  She died in 1850 in Dallas county, Texas at the age of 23 or 24 (Note: If Nancy died in 1850, she could not have been the mother of the last two children listed.  The children may have been the product of a second marriage or there is a problem with Nancy's dates or connection to the family).  

Note regarding Nancy (Crocker) Digby's family:  Her father was Higdon Crocker; he was born in 1797 in Franklin county, North Carolina.  He died in 1845 (at the age of 47 - 48) in Winston county, North Carolina.  His wife's name is not known at this point.  Higdon and his wife had the following children:

1. Nancy Crocker: She married James Digby.

2.  Henry Crocker: He was born in 1828 in Mississippi.  He married Jemima Parker.

3.  Elizabeth Crocker: She was born in 1830.  She married John Reid on Valentine's Day on February 14, 1846 in Winston, Mississippi.

4.  Jesse Crocker: He was born in 1841 in Mississippi.

(NOTE: The Crocker family continues to be tracked further back on the "Find A Grave" website.  The "Find A Grave" Crocker trail begins with Anthony Crocker.  The Crockers were centralized in Devonshire, England (July 26, 1594 and migrated from Cornwell via Barbados Islands to the county of Isle of Wright, Virginia with land purchases being recorded in 1736).

In 1850, James Digby is listed as a carpenter in Attala county, Mississippi.  At this time James and Nancy (Crocker) Digby had the following children:

I.  Martin Van Buren Digby ("Martin"): He was born in 1843 in Mississippi.  His first wife was (1) Susan V. Ledbetter.  They had the following children:
     A.  Mart Digby:
     B.  Robert:
     C.  Bert Hendrick: (listed on the 1880 Grimes county, Texas census; not sure of relationship, but listed as a son).
Martin Van Buren Digby's second wife was (2) Elmira Tennessee Barnes; they had the following children:
     A.  James H. Digby:
     B.  William Seaborn Digby ("Will"): He married Mattie Minerva Wallace.
     C.  Claud Digby:
     D.  (Boy):
     E.  Alta Digby: She married D McKay.
     F.  L. Guy Digby:
II. Elizabeth Digby: She was born about 1845 in Mississippi.
III. John Digby: He was born about 1847 in Mississippi.
IV. Emily Digby: She was born about 1849 in Mississippi.

V.  Mack Digby: He was born about 1852 in Mississippi.

VI. Naomi S. (Digsby) Gardner: She was born on September 18, 1856.  She died on October 11, 1941 (at age 85) and is buried at Fairview cemetery in Bastrop, Texas (Bastrop county) in plot EB-6-21.  Her tombstone is pictured below:

In 1850, Frederic Beall was staying with them; he was a 26 year old farmer, born in Georgia.  James Digby died in Attala county, Mississippi.

SOURCES:
1.  1850 Attala county, Mississippi census (household # 1244/ 1252.  Recorded October 28, 1850 by E.H. Sanders.  page # 174, typed number on right side of page).
2.  Genealogical query posted by Emily Haire in October, 2002.

3.  "Find a Grave" website for James Digby and family.

William Seaborn Digby: Basic Family Information

      THE WILLIAM SEABORN & MATTIE MINERVA (WALLACE) DIGBY FAMILY

       1872 - 1952                                                                                1874 - 1936
William Seaborn Digby                                                               Mattie Minerva Wallace

The William Seaborn Digby Family

William Seaborn Digby ("Will"; "Sebourn Will"; "S.W. Digby"; "S. Will Digby") was a farmer.  The above picture of the William Seaborn Digby family was taken in 1907 at their home place in Santa Anna, Texas.  The people in the picture include, left to right,: Mack Digby; Loraine Digby; Mattie (Wallace) Digby holding Mart Digby; Sidney Digby; Emmette Digby; and Will Digby holding Corinne Digby.

William Seaborn Digby was born on January 12, 1872 near Fort Worth, Texas (possibly at Gauze, Texas.  This town is near Cameron and Summerview in East Texas; it is close to Arnold Lake and Dime Box.  Gauze is in Milam county, south of Milano).  His parents were Martin Van Buren Digby and Tennessee (Barnes) Digby ("Tennie").  He lived on the Yegua (pronounced Ya-wah) river.  Later, Will ran a blacksmith shop at Gauze.

One time, Will and some other boys were going to Arnold Lake to go swimming.  Many time when they went swimming here, they would see alligator heads pop up.  There was one of the boys who was very good natured, never a trouble-maker; another boy named Fike (Fife?) was whipping him on the legs with a switch as they were riding along.  The good natured boy begged him to stop, but Fike wouldn't, so he got off the horse and almost beat Fikes to death before the other boys could get him off of Fike.

Will Digby's parents were Martin Van Buren Digby and Tennessee (Barnes) Digby.  Will had two brothers: James H. Digby, who was born in 1870 in Texas and Claud Digby, who was born in 1875 in Texas.  Will's only sister was Alta Digby, who married "D" McKay.  They lived in Temple, Texas where he worked on the railroad.

Will & Mattie (Wallace) Digby

The above photo of Will and Mattie Digby was taken either at their wedding or after the birth of their first child.  When Will was about ninteen years old, he came to Donahoe, Texas in Bell county; this is where he later met his first wife,(1) Mattie Minerva Wallace ("Mattie").  They raised their family in the Donahoe community.  Will and Mattie married on December 27 (28), 1896, possibly at Donahoe; they were associated with the Christian church (Disciples of Christ), but many times didn't attend because they moved around so often or a church was not available in the community in which they lived.  (Note: There is a possibility that they were connected with the Methodist church and that the association with the Disciples of Christ church came when Will's son, Martin Van Digby, got married to Pearl Griffin).  Mattie (Wallace) Digby was born on March 9, 1874, at Donahoe; her parents were Grandison Royston Wallace (or Gran de Royston) Wallace and Charlotte Jane Leatherman ("Lottie"); they came from Arkansas.

In 1900, Will and Mattie moved their family to Pecan, Texas.  About three years later, they moved to Shallow Ford, Texas east of Belton; they lived at the old "Key's place".  Mack Digby remembered a few stories from the time the family lived here:

"There was an old wire gap that led into their property; it had tall, big posts and a header across the top.  Below their home down in the bottom, on the bank of the river, they had a corn field.  Somebody's cattle had come across the river and had gotten into the corn  patch.  They were tearing down the corn and eating it up.  Will got on his horse and rode down to the field.  He roped a yearling and took him up to the house.  He tied the yearling's head to one post and his tail to another post.  Then he got a bunch of tin cans and wired them to the yearling's tail.  He let him loose and, of course, the yearling went back into the corn field.  The flopping of the cans and the bellowing of the yearling got the cows out of the corn.  Another time at Shallow Ford, their dog fell over in a fit by the woodpile out in back of the house.   Will thought the dog might be mad, so he grabbed the axe and hit him in the head; this killed the dog instantly."

Will & Mattie Wallace
(Identity of the child is not known)

In the Fall of 1906 or 1907, the family moved to Santa Anna, Texas in Coleman county; they lived on the old "Fuller place".  In 1908, they lived at the old "Toole place" around Santa Anna, Texas. Belton, Texas (around the Taylor's Valley area) was the next home in 1909.  One year later, they moved to Coleman county, Texas.  Will Digby (also called S.W. Digby) was a trustee at the Vilas school in 1911.  In the Fall of 1911, they lived on the "Frank Woods farm" in Bell county and remained here until 1916.  In 1917-1918, they resided at the "Tom Whittington farmplace".  The "Sally Williams place" was close to the Whittington's farm, and they lived here from 1920-1921.

William Seaborn Digby Family
2-5-1920 Bell County, Texas Census
(Top portion of page; Source: Ancestry.com)
(Grandison Royston Wallace family is also on this page)

They lived at a farm in Vilas, Texas in 1924 and later back to Belton, Texas.  Sidney (Digby) Wilson recalled Will Digby going to buy a farm in Bartlett, but it was rented just before he arrived.  He said, "You know, if I was on the way to Hell with a bucket of ice, it would freeze over before I got there."  Sidney said her father was very witty and mischievous.

Mattie (Wallace) Digby (sitting) and Corrine
Digby (on right).

Mattie (Wallace) Digby

Mattie (Wallace) Digby was a small built person and relatives thought well of her.  Mattie died on October 1, 1936 of cancer at home on Surghnor street in Belton, Texas.  The doctors said they didn't think she had cancer, but they operated and found it.  The family didn't want them to do the surgery. When they did it anyway, the family became upset and from then on went to Kings Daughters hospital in the same city.  She is buried in North Belton cemetery.

The above image is a tombstone rubbing I did of Will & Mattie Digby's tombstone in the North Belton cemetery in Belton,Texas.  The tombstone is 1' 4 1/2" tall and 4' 1 1/2" across; it faces east.  (Will Digby's footstone is 3 1/2" tall and 4 3/4" across and Mattie's is 3 1/2" tall and 5 1/4" across).  Note that I forgot to trace a small portion of the inscription under the "DIGBY" name on both sides.  (Location of their graves: Will, Mattie, and Mart & Pearl Digby's infant baby are buried in a plot in the northeast corner of the cemetery next to North Main street.  Information supplied by Glenn Blair). Mack Digby used to have Mattie's old Singer sewing machine, but later sold it.  Will Digby's second wife was (2) Lilly (          ) Haire.(one source said Heine) ; they had no children. Will had a furniture business in his later life (where Potts Hardware was in the 1960s, just 2-3 stores east of First Christian Church on the courthouse square.  However, most of his life was spent farming.  Will Digby died on February 11, 1952 in Temple (one source says Belton), Texas and is buried alongside his first wife in the North Belton cemetery.  Jeannie (Blair) Pittman remembers Will Digby in his later years as "a very skinny man who usually wore a hat and tie.  He lived in a small house behind his son Mart's home at 1130 North Beal street in Belton, Texas.  He played the fiddle a great deal.  Often he would cough up blood on Kleenex tissues  which he would keep in a bag tied to his bed."  On January 7, 2017, Rita (Digby) Locklin relayed the following: "Will S. Digby and Lilly split up at one time and Mart & Mack Digby turned our garage (Beal street home) into that apartment because he didn't have a place to live.  But he only stayed there for a few months because he and Lilly went back together.  That's when Bill and Mattie (Digby) Wesson moved into the apartment.  Others that lived there included Shep & JoAnn Shepard and Maggie Mecom, and a soldier couple.  I was seven years old when William Seaborn Digby died.  He and Lilly lived in a rock house out on Highway 190 (where the Albriton Ford House used to be), but now the house is gone".

Will Digby

William Seaborn Digby

CHILDREN OF WILL & MATTIE (WALLACE) DIGBY:

I.  Loraine Anise Digby (or "Anise Lorraine Digby") ("Loraine"): She was born on February 19, 1898, probably in the Donahoe community in Bell county, Texas.  Her first husband was (1) Ralph Jones.  They had the following children:

     A.  Dorothy Nell Jones: She was born on September 20, 1921 in Holland, Texas.  She married Larry Surghnor.  They had a child named Bill.  He married a lady named Joyce Ann and they had two children.  Dorothy Nell died on November 2, 2004 in Belton, Texas.  Her funeral was at 1:00 pm on Friday, November 5th; it was a graveside service at North Belton cemetery.  Heartfield Funeral Home in Belton handled the service.  At the time of her death, Dorothy Nell (Jones) Surghnor had five grandchildren and ten great grandchildren.

Dorothy Nell (Jones) Surghnor

     B.  Melba Ruth Jones: She married G.B. Nolan.  They had the following children:

          1.  Danny Nolan:

          2.  Pat Nolan:

          3.  (unknown):

     C.  Betty Merle Jones: She married Jodie Van Wie.  They had a child named Jerry.

Loraine Digby's second husband was  (2) Herbert Orlando Blair ("H.O.").  They had no children.  Loraine died on Sunday, January 12, 1997 at the Park Place Nursing Home in Belton, Texas and is buried in the North Belton cemetery.

II. Mack Flanagan Digby (or "Mack Flannigan Digby") ("Mack"): He was born on January 11, 1900 in Pecan, Texas near the Donahoe community in Bell county, Texas; he was named for the doctor at the Donahoe community.  Mack married Vera Barnett on July 15, 1930 (Vera's obituary says she married on January 11, 1930) in Kingsville, Texas. Vera died on January 23, 1987.  One relative said that Mack was wild and looking for a good time and that Vera calmed his down.

Mack Digby

Mack Digby

Mack Digby (left) and some Boy Scout Troop  members.

Mack Flanagan Digby

Mack Digby

Vera was born in Bell county, Texas, the daughter of Charlie Barnett and Mary Ann (Hayter) Barnett.  She was a 1949 graduate of the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor and in 1955 received her Masters degree from the University of Texas in Austin.  She taught school in Austin and in Killeen; she was a member of the United Methodist church.  In 1930 - 1931, Vera (Barnett) Digby and Lillian Chaffin taught at the Hackberry school, which was a country school around Holland, Texas in Bell county.

Vera Barnet

Vera Barnet

Vera (Barnet) Digby

Vera Digby

Vera Digby

Vera Digby

Mack and Vera lived in Austin, Texas for fourteen years, and then moved back to Belton, Texas (in a pink house on  Mitchell Street).  Cori Burk lived behind them on Daugerfield road when they lived in Belton.   

There was an article in the Friday, August 24, 1934 edition of The Bartlett Tribune and News newspaper which mentioned Mack Digby:

"Wins Blue Ribbon"

Kirk Knight entered his government stallion and also a colt in Belton's first horse show held last Friday afternoon at the Rodeo grounds under the management of Mack Digby.  He received a blue ribbon for each entry.  In addition to the stallion and colt exhibit, the show included Shetland ponies, pioneer class horses, junior and senior three and five-gaited horses, junior and senior couple horses, an exhibition of high school horses, a spotted horse class, a plantation walk, and a stake race".

Mack was present at the last mob lynching of a black man in Bell county, Texas; the man was accused of either raping a white woman or murder.  Mack and Vera had no children and they lived most of their lives in Bell county.  Cori Burk, who was the neighbor who lived behind them said that Vera taught school in Killeen and used to do ceramics.  She and Mack had a dalmation dog named "Pinto".  Gale (Digby) Cosper said that Mack was quite a character.

Mack & Vera (Barnet) Digby at home in Belton, Texas in later years.

Mack died in Belton on Sunday, April 12, 1987 at 2 am from complications from his asthma and diabetes, which caused circulation problems and the amputation of his foot.  His funeral was on Tuesday at 2:30 pm.

                                         

III. Sidney Alleen Digby (alternate spellings for Alleen are "Aleene" or "Aileen") ("Sidney"): She was born on May 4, 1901 in Pecan, Texas (Another source says she was born in Val Verde, Texas in Milam county).  She married John Henry Wilson ("John") on August 9, 1919 at Rev. Ramey's home in DaVilla, Texas.  John was born on April 24, 1893 in Milam county, Texas.  He had a World War I draft registration card for 1917 - 1918.  He was a grocery salesman in Davilla, Texas (Milam county) during the 1920's - 1930's.  (Note: Sarah Shelton, who was 95 years old in 2009, used to live at Val Verde next to the Griffin family.  She was best friends with Sidney and her husband John).  John Wilson died on September 2, 1974 in Belton, Texas.  (Note: John's parents were Edward Cyrus Wilson (1867-1954) and Mary E. Smith (1873-1938).  Henry's grandfather is Henry S. Wilson, who is buried in the Davilla cemetery in Milam county.  Henry also had a brother named Leonard Albert Wilson (1897-1960)). Sidney died on December 31, 1991 in Belton, Texas (Bell county) and is buried in the North Belton Cemetery.

Sidney Digby

Sidney Digby (front).
Bertie (Swan) Blair and Steve
Blair (back right).

Sidney Digby

Sidney (Digby) Wilson

Sidney (Digby) Wilson obituary

Grave of John & Sidney Wilson

John and Sidney (Digby) Wilson had the following children:
     A.  Billy Leonard Wilson (Is this the same as Billy Ed Wilson?): He was born on November 1, 1921 in Bell county, Texas.  He served in the U.S. Marine Corps in World War II.  He died on October 23, 2000 in Temple, Texas (Bell county) and is buried at Bellwood Memorial Park in that city.  He was married to Agnes Lazell Smith Wilson ("Smitty").  She was born on January 13, 1919 in Texas.  She died on February 24, 2009 in Temple, Texas and is buried at Bellwood Memorial Park as well (Her plot is East Fountain Lot V-4). (Note: Smitty's parents were William Monroe Smith, who was born in 1882 in Mississippi and died in July, 1926 in West, Texas, and Lillie Missouri Box, who was born on August 1, 1885 in Winslow, Mississippi and died in October, 1940 in West, Texas in McLennan county).  Billy Leonard and Smitty Wilson had two children.
     B.  Johnnie Ruth Wilson:  She was born on February 29, 1928 in Bell county, Texas.  Her first husband was ____________.  She married (2) Lester Leonard Bartz on December 10, 1977 in Bell county, Texas.  They were divorced on March 29, 2001.  Lester was born on May 1, 1935 in Bell county, Texas.

IV. Emmette Doyle Digby ("Emmette"): He was born on December 15, 1903 at Shallow Ford, Texas at home (the old "Keys" place) east of Belton.  He married (1) Alta Ray (They later divorced), and (2) Elvera Hash.  Alta Ray's second  marriage was to (2) Bill Lucas (Information about her daughter by her second marriage: Allen family - 1984.  They raised horses.  Jana, Lee (went by "Alta Lee" growing up), Tony, Ty (2 yrs.), and a dog named Dolly).

Emmitt & Alta (Ray) Digby with Emmitt's trick horse,
Grey Buck.  July, 1938.

Pictures of Emmitt Digby and Grey Buck:

Emmitt & Jeannine Digby
with Grey Buck.

Emmitt (right) with
Leonard Cosper on
Grey Buck by
O'Dell Hyer's Gas
Station in Belton, Tx.

Emmitt Digby (left) presents proclamation to Texas
Governor, W. Lee "Pappy" O' Daniel in Austin after
riding the last leg of a "Pony Express" tribute.
His ride was from Belton to Austin; he was very
proud to have been part of this.

Governor poster for
"Pappy" O'Daniel.

Dwayne Digby recalled the following memory of a conversation between Emmette and Pat Digby: "Pat Digby was trying to get Emmette to become a Catholic.  Emmette said, 'Oh no, I can't do that'.  Pat asked why.  Emmette responded, 'Well, y'all do confession don't you?  I just can't do that'.  Pat said, 'That's nothing Emmette.  You can do it".  Emmette replied: 'If I confessed, I'd still be in there confessing this month's sins when next month rolls around'."

Kay (Digby) Claunch is Emmette Digby's daughter.  Emmette died on July 19, 1959 in Belton, Texas and is buried in the North Belton cemetery.

V.  Corinne Lillian Digby (or "Lillian Corinne Digby") ("Corinne" or "Cody"): She was born on November 22, 1905 in Shallow Ford, Texas in Bell county.  She married Odell Hyer on January 1, 1930 at Rev. Lenear's home in Bartlett, Texas.  Cody died in 1988.

Corinne (Digby) Hyer ("Cody")

Having coffee at Cody's home.

O'Dell Hyer at his gas station in Belton, Texas.

Cody and O'Dell had the following children:
     A.  Billy Lewis Hyer: He married Carolyn Geashart.  They had a son named Todd Hyer.

Billy Lewis Hyer when
stationed in Germany.

1974 - Todd Hyer holding James Brian
Blair ("Brian"), son of Glenn &
Jeannine Blair.

     B.  Dell Mack Hyer: He married Cheryl Hammer.  They had the following children:
          1.  Karen Hyer:
          2.  (unknown)

VI. Martin Van Digby ("Mart"): (Note: See separate blog post for this family).  He was born on April 1, 1907 at the old "Fuller place" in Santa Anna, Texas in Coleman county.  He married Pearl Griffin on December 7, 1929 at the Methodist parsonage in Belton, Texas.  Pearl Griffin was born on February 15, 1907 east of Salado, Texas in Bell county.  She was a teacher by occupation; she was of the Methodist faith at first, then became affiliated with the Disciples of Christ church soon after her marriage in 1929.  Her family attended the First Christian Church in Belton, Texas.  Mart Digby traded horses to make a living in the early days; he would buy ponies and sometimes keep them at Glenn Blair's home.  Mart worked as a clerk and ran "The Car Mart" in Belton for many years.  He was a family oriented man and money was never very important to him.  Each July 4th, he would buy eveyrone a coke before and after the July 4th parade.  He would leave the coffee pot on in his office and then everyone would go watch the parade from the public library (now the Bell County Museum on Main street).  Afterwards, everyone would say, "Coffee at Marts!" and they would meet at The Car Mart.  Jeannie (Blair) Pittman would get Mart to sell her candy, even though he was in his office.  He was in the Civil Service at Fort Hood in Killeen, Texas during World War II.  His religious faith was at first Baptist, then later was Disciples of Christ.  He felt very strongly that divorce was wrong.  Mart died of colon cancer at Scott and White hospital in Temple, Texas on August 22, 1966; he was buried the next day at 4 pm in the North Belton cemetery in Belton, Texas.  The following poem was read at Mart's funeral:

"TRIBUTE TO A CHRISTIAN MAN: MR. MARTIN DIGBY
Never had much style about him, never cared for dress.
Sort of spent his life a-sewing seeds of happiness; 
Doin' little things for others, helpin' where he could.
Never makin' much pretention, always doing good.

Home for him, was all for livin'; filled his heart with pride,
And his door was always open, latch string hung outside.
Folks who came were always welcome, loved to have them round; 
Wanted much of joy and laughter--seemed to love the sound.

Had his cares and had his troubles, same as all of us; 
Figured them a part of livin', never made much fuss;
Made the best of all God gave him, as through life he went,
Ever toiling, giving, taking, kind and provident.

Vain the tribute we would pay him, words cannot express
What it meant to have him with us and our thankfulness; 
Sweet the memory he has left us, though our hearts are sad; 
Great the blessing that was given just to call him DAD."

VII. Alta Merle Digby ("Merle"): She was born on February 6, 1911 in Coleman, Texas (Coleman county).  She married Leonard F. Cosper on July 15, 1930 in Kingsville, Texas (Kleberg county).  One source says they were married on July 25th of that year.  Leonard was married another time.  Leonard was born on January 20, 1907 in Bell county, Texas.  (His parents were Thomas Franklin Cosper (1886 - 1981) and Annie Alta Cabaniss (1888 - 1959)).  Leonard and Merle resided in Taft, Texas (San Patricio county) in 1930.  Leonard died on September 8, 1981 in Temple, Texas (Bell county).  Merle died on June 19, 1970 in Temple, Texas and is buried in Belton, Texas.  In 1971, Leonard married (2) Margaret Irene Culpepper in Waco, Texas (McLennan county).  Leonard and Merle had the following children:
     A.  Lyndell Cosper ("Lindy"): She married Jamie Pirtle (brother of Joe Pirtle).  They had the following children:
          1.  Jim Pirtle:  He is married.
          2.  Kay Pirtle:
          3.  Scott Pirtle:
          4.  Lynn Pirtle:
     B.  Betty Jean Cosper:  She married Gary Cook.  They had a daughter named Kim Cook.
     C.  Bobby Leonard Cosper: He was married.

VIII.  Carrie Digby: She was born in 1906.  (Source: The Courtney Family Tree on Ancestry.com.  This is the only source I've found that lists this child).

SOURCES:
1.  Conversation between Billy & Susan Blair and Pearl Digby on May 11, 1980.
2.  Conversation between Billy & Susan Blair and Mack & Vera (Barnett) Digby in June, 1980.
3.  Sidney (Digby) Wilson, July 5, 1982.
4.  Tombstones of Will & Mattie (Wallace) Digby, North Belton Cemetery in Belton, Texas.
5.  Conversation between Billy & Susan Blair and Violet (White) Dolehite on December 27, 1979.
6.  Conversations between Billy & Susan Blair and Jeannine (Digby) Blair.
7.  Conversation between Billy Blair and Jeannie (Blair) Pittman on April 7, 1982.
8.  Pearl (Griffin) Digby's book, Rambling Reflections (Her life story).
9.  Martin Van Digby funeral program and records, Belton, Texas.
10. Martin Van Digby's application to Camp Hood (later became Fort Hood) in Texas for Civilian Guard on April 7, 1942.  This document has a good signature of Mart Digby as well as his fingerprints.  He was 35 years old at the time, gray hair, gray eyes, 5' 11 1/2" tall, 210 lbs, light complexion, and stout build.
11. Vera (Barnett) Digby death announcement in newspaper.  1987 Belton Journal, Belton, Texas.
12. Martin Van Buren Birth Certificate: Vol. 2, page 60.  Coleman county, Texas courthouse.
13. The Donahoe Community and Donahoe, Texas - A Ghost Town by E.A. Limer Jr. (Addresses include: 5219 Spellman road, Houston, Texas.  77035; Holland, Texas; Temple, Texas).
14.  Sidney (Digby) Wilson obituary.
15.  Country Schools Around Holland by James R. Persky & John Dagere (pages 39, 114).
16.  Lyndell (Cosper) Pirtle, 1985. (Basic birth/ death dates of William Seaborn Digby family).
17.  Mack Digby: December, 1980 and 1981.
18,  Census Records:
      1920 Bell County, Texas (February 5th).
19.  Website: "The Portal to Texas History" - Source was The Bartlett Tribune and News (Bartlett, Texas).  Vol. 47, No. 51, Ed. 1, Friday, August 24, 1934 (Article mentioning Mack Digby managing a horse show).
20.  Jeannine (Digby) Blair introduced Billy & Susan Blair to Sarah Shelton at Garden Estates in Temple, Texas on May 9, 2009.  Sarah Shelton was best friends of Sidney (Digby) and her husband John Wilson.
21. Ancestry.com  The Courtney Family Tree 008 - 2013.  (The Harper Family Pedigree, owner: Janice Byington, has a lot of Mary E. Smith line also.  This source lists Sidney Aleene Digby's middle name as "Laraine").
22. Rootsweb: Judia & Ralph Terry - Family and Neighbors of Coleman County, Texas.  (ralphterry@verizon.net).
23. Location of graves of Will & Mattie Digby (and Mart & Pearl Digby's infant baby) supplied by Glenn Blair to his son Billy.
24. Gale (Digby) Cosper, 2006.
25. Rita (Digby) Locklin conversation with Billy Blair on January 7, 2017.
26. Jeannie (Blair) Pittman: A Facebook post in 2020 regarding Leonard & Merle Cosper family.

NOTES:
1. Pat Digby and Kay (Digby) Claunch said in September, 2006 that Emmitt Digby had an old box of pictures.  Some of them were old tin types of his family.  They said the box may have been left in Austin when they moved.